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Liana IsakadzeGeorgian violinist and conductor
Date of Birth: 02.08.1946
Country:  Georgia |
Content:
- Liiana Isakadze: A Virtuosic Violinist and Conductor
- International Success
- The Georgia Chamber Orchestra and International Performances
- Conducting and International Recognition
- Legacy and Honors
- Personal Life and Family
- Passing and Remembrance
Liiana Isakadze: A Virtuosic Violinist and Conductor
Early Life and EducationLiiana Isakadze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia on August 2, 1946. Her initial music education began at the Central Music School in Tbilisi. She studied under Leo Shiukashvili, who she credited with having a profound impact on her development. At the tender age of 9, she performed with a symphony orchestra, and at 10, she presented her first solo concert. By 12, she had won first prize at the Transcaucasian Violin Competition.
International Success
At the age of 14, Isakadze became a laureate of the All-Union Competition of Music Performers, winning second prize in Moscow in 1961. In 1968, she graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, studying violin under David Oistrakh, and in 1970, she completed her postgraduate studies under his guidance. During her studies, she participated in various international competitions, including the Long-Thibaud International Competition in Paris (first prize, 1965), the Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki (first prize, 1970), and the IV International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (third prize, 1970).
From 1970 to 1994, Isakadze was a soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. Between 1964 and 1981, she played a Stradivarius violin that was loaned to her by the Moscow State Collection of Musical Instruments.
The Georgia Chamber Orchestra and International Performances
In 1981, Isakadze became the artistic director and chief conductor of the Georgia Chamber Orchestra, a position she held for 15 years. In 1990, due to the economic hardship facing Georgia, the orchestra relocated to Ingolstadt, Germany. In 1992, she founded the David Oistrakh String Academy in Ingolstadt.
Isakadze possessed an extensive repertoire, including violin concertos by Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Schoenberg, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Chausson, and Takttakishvili; sonatas by Brahms, Grieg, and Ysaÿe; and works by Paganini, Schubert, Wieniawski, Fauré, Sarasate, Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Kreisler, Tchaikovsky, Glière, Boccherini, Gershwin, Bach, Hummel, and Bernstein.
From 1965 onwards, she toured extensively as a soloist, conductor, and chamber musician, performing in France, Germany, Romania, the Netherlands, Japan, Mexico, Austria, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Finland, Sweden, Poland, East Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. She graced the stages of renowned concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York (1995), La Scala in Milan (1996), the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (1996-1997), and the Salle Pleyel in Paris (1996).
Conducting and International Recognition
Isakadze conducted numerous chamber orchestras across Europe, as well as symphony orchestras such as the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Rome Orchestra, and the Euro-Classical Youth Orchestra.
Her recordings include television and radio broadcasts, as well as numerous compact discs. In 1998, she chaired the jury of the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, and in 2003, she organized an international violin competition in Saint Petersburg, where the jury included Victor Pikayzen, Zakhar Bron, and Grigory Zhislin.
Legacy and Honors
Isakadze was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1989 to 1991. She held the title of Honorary Director of the G. Isakadze-Spielmann Music Academy in Germany and Honorary Professor at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Her influence extended beyond her own performances. Opera singer and Russian People's Artist Hibla Gerzmava acknowledged the profound impact of Isakadze's artistry on her musical development.
Isakadze's life was celebrated in the 1990 ZDF film "Portrait of Liiana Isakadze." A star dedicated to her was unveiled at the concert hall of the Tbilisi Philharmonic.
Personal Life and Family
Liiana Isakadze was married to Tamaz Chachava, a renowned poet, essayist, and literary critic. Her brother, Eldar Isakadze, was a cellist and People's Artist of the Georgian SSR. Her niece, Irma Isakadze, is a pianist.
Passing and Remembrance
Liiana Isakadze passed away on July 5, 2024, at the age of 77. In her lifetime, she left an indelible mark on the world of music as a virtuoso violinist, a pioneering conductor, and an inspiration to countless musicians.
